Layoff

Both the first- and second-level leaders were laid off on the same day. The team suddenly lost its sense of direction, moving like a group of headless flies.

The external market offers little comfort. Every round of layoffs pushes another wave of strong candidates into the job pool. Hundreds of people compete for a single role, and even getting a call from HR now feels like a stroke of luck.

Effort, in this environment, feels quiet. But quiet does not mean optional.

When I’m exhausted, I force myself to think further ahead. I think about my wife, and the children we haven’t yet met. I think about the large house I still haven’t bought. I think about a version of myself who knew he wasn’t enough, yet chose to push forward anyway. And I think about my high-school self—once experimenting with sleeping at 12:45 a.m. and waking up at 5.

Back then, he had no fallback. Neither do I now.

I’m writing this not to complain, but to remind myself: in an era where uncertainty is the norm, the only thing still within my control is to keep moving forward.

Keep going.